Tool for capping and double-seaming cans.



A. D. SUMNER & R. 0. WILSON.

TOOL FOR GAPPING AND DOUBLE SEAMING CANS. APPLICATION FILED DBO.19. 1913.

1,124,553. Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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UNITED STATES IETENT OFFlCE.

ARTHUR n. SUMNER AND my 0. WILSON, 01 LOS ANGELES, camromvm, ASSIGNORS or FIFTY-ONE ONE-HUNDRE'DTI-IS T0 LOS ANGELES can COMPANY, A CORPORATION or cALIFoRNI'A.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Application filed December 19. 1913. Serial No. 808,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR D. SUMNER and RAY 0. WILSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and usful Tool for Capping and Double-seaming Cans, of which the following is a specification.

()ur invention relates to improvements in tools for capping and double seaming cans and the like, and the object of our invention is to provide an improved tool attachable to any of the common variety of machines which will smoothly fold over and scam the edges of the cap and can together and prevent the crimping of the metal in the operation, thus making a neat and smooth joint.

Other objects may appear in the .subjoined detailed description.

ll'e attain this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of our device on the line {BL-1'1, Fig. 2, in which, for purposes of illustration. certain parts of a capping machine are shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line ,'t' --.r Fig. 1 with the various elements of the die in their normal position. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, except that the outer die member is shown in eccentric relation to the inner member. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section of Fig. 1 showing a can and cap in position in the d e for the capping operation. Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. -i showing the seaming process just begun. l ia. 6 is a section similar to Figs. l and .3 sl ping the conclusion of the capping opera lmn and the finished scam.

Similar reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout the specification and the several views of the drawings.

As hcreinhel'ore stated, our device pertains to that part of a capping machine where the caps are attached to the cans, and the matter herein contained should not be construed as to refer to the finishing mechanism which is pcrl'ormcd in the same machine. but relates solely to the preliminary seaming and capping elements of the ma-' should be stated, and understood. that in the common styles of machines it has been found very dilticult to neatly curl or fold the metal in making the seam in the capping operation, as the tendency of the metal is to crimp and buckle around the peripheryof the cans, and it is to overcome this ditliculty that the device herein described is provided.

he parts shown in Fig. 1, and also in Figs. 2 and 3, are generally typical of the more common styles of machines now in use, though the exact forms of the several parts may vary somewhat in the different makes. The ditference in form, however, is not sufliciently great as to influence the operation or effectiveness of our device or to prevent its attachment to any of the machines with but little or no alteration.

The stem 1 is common to all of the machines of this class and is vertically disposed over and central with the capping plunger to which the cans are delivered from a conveyer by a device which is also common to all types of capping machines. The capping head 2 which is provided with the upwardly extending sleeve 3 is fixed to the stem 1. and the driving pinion 4, which is provided on the lower side with the cone 5 is slidably mounted on the sleeve The lower end of the cone 5 has the reduced end 6 which is parallel to the sleeve 3 and the upper portion of the cone is larger and also parallel to this sleeve, the central portion of the cone being tapered and connecting the two straight sections. The head 2 has a depending lug 7 near its outer face and to this lug is pivoted by the pin 8 the arm 9, the lower end of which curves outwardly and has the roller 10 revolubly mounted on it and adapted to revolve horizontally, the upper end of the arm being provided with therevolubly mounted roller 11 which is adapted to normally engage the lower straight section 6 of the cone 5, and when the cone is forced downward on the sleeve 2%. this roller will engage the inclined section of the cone, cause the arm to pivot on. the pin 8 :in the lug 7 and force the roller 10 inwardly as hereinafter described.

The lower end of the stem 1 is equipped with our capping di'e which is substantially in line with the roller 10, and consists of the supporting member 12 having the upper hub 13 secured to the stem 1 by means of the set screw 14, the horizontally disposed flange 15 and the lower hub 16, the latter of which is adapted to be finished to a rolling surface; the flange 15 provided on the lower side, near the outer edge with the spring seats 17, in which are the coil springs 18 having seated on the ends thereof the balls 19, these balls being small enough to enter the seats 17; the inner die member 20 having the sleeve 21 adapted to tit tightly over and be secured to the finished hub 16 of the sup porting member, and the horizontally disposed llange 22 which may be shaped to conform to the cap, and its edge shaped to 1 form any desired kind of scam; and the annular ring die member having a counterbore 24, an annular recess 25 around the edge of the counterbore, a central bore 26 substantially larger than the diameter of the sleeve 21 and a V shaped groove on the top, as at 27. The groove 27 is annular and the center of the groove is adapted to register with the plunger balls 19, there being a plurality of these balls arranged concentrically with the stem 1. When the ring die member 23 is in normal position and concentric with regard to the stem 1 and the inner member 20, the balls 19 will ride in the center of the groove, their function being to eliminate friction between the flange 15 and the ring die 23, and also to serve as a self centering device, when by design or accident, the two die members should assume an eccentric relationship. As an additional means of centering these elements we provide the stud 28 adapted to be secured to the revolving capping head 2 and pendent therefrom, its lower end being opposite and adapted to just clear the outer face of the ring die 23 when the latter is in normal position, but in the event that the die 23 becomes eccentric in its relation to the inner di 20, the stud 28 as moved by the head 2 will engage the high side of the ring die 23 and force it into its normal position. \Vhile the tension of-the springs 18 against the balls 19 tend to keep the balls in the bottom of the groove 27, this function may be wholly or partially destroyed by a loss of ension, and in such event the stud 28 which is fixed to the rattling head 2, the ring die 23 being sta ionary on the supporting men1- her 12 and the flange 22, will in its rotation around the ring die engage the same if left in eccentric relation to the capping head and restore it to concentric relation.

In operation, when a can is delivered into capping position in the machine, 2'. e. beneath the die members 20 and 23, and a cap has been placed in position in the die, as shown in Fig. 4, the cone 5 is caused to slide downwardly on the sleeve 3, the head 2 and the capping roller 10 attached to the head begin to revolve, the can is raised up by the plunger (not shown) into position against the bottom of the cap, as in Fig. 4 and the roller 11 engages the inclined surface of the cone, which forces the upper end of the arm- 9 and the roller 11 outward and the lower end of the arm and the roller 10 inward in contact with the outer face of the die member 23, and when the cone has reached the limit of its downward move ment, the roller 10 will have forced the die member 23 inwardly until the face of the bore 26 contacts with the face of the sleeve 21 at a point exactly opposite the roller 10, a point on the ring die 23 opposite this point of contact will be twice as far away from the inner die member as when in normal position, and the two die members will thus be in eccentric relation to each other, and w lu-n in such position the balls 19 will ride on the inclined surface of the groove 2?, half of their number or those on one side of the center of the die will rise on the outer sur face and the other half on the inner surface thereof, the balls in such event compressing the springs 18 and partially seating themselves in the spring seats 17. As the revolution of the head 2 progresses, the top edge of the can 28 is forced snugly into the curved flange 29 on the cap 30, and both the can and. cap are forced over against the side of the recess 25, as shown in Fig. 5, and when the inward limit of the roller has been attained thatportion of the can top and cap edge will have been seamed and formed as shown in Fig. 6. The revolution of the roller 10, once completely around the die will cause the remaining portion of the seam to be completed, in a rolling contact, point by point, the die member creeping or rolling around. the sleeve 21 very much similar to the action of an internal gear on a fixed pinion, its relation to the inner die member being at all times eccentric. and when the operation has been completed, the arm 9 is restored by the raising of the cone 5. the roller 10 released from contact with the die member :23, and the latter by the action of the springs 18 and the balls 19 in their relation to the grome 27 will cause the restoration of the die members 20 and 23 to normal po ition or. in the event that the action of the springs is not prompt enough to restore these elements before another operation, the stud .28 will. when a certain point in the revolution of the head has been reached, restore the same.

lib

One or more of the'studs 28 may be used, as may be convenient or desirable.

It should be understood that the stem 1, the supporting member and the inner die member 20 are me fixed position, the outer ri rig 'die member is normally-stationary and concentric in its relation to the inner die im-mljier, and the head 2 and the roller 10' seemed to it are continuously revolved and timed with the-feeding mechanism of the -of the recess 25 in the outer die'member,

and the top edge of the cans and the outer edges of the-caps'are slightly bent or curved as shown in Fig.= 4; beforethey are placed in posit-ion for the capping operation to be seamed by the action of the flange 22 and the recess 25in the die member 23. The outer die member-'23 is loosely positioned and admit-ed to slide freely between'the flanges and 1. 17, the end of'tlie, counterbore 9A seri'ingto forma seat forthe flangeJQ and the upper side of the die member 23 on each side of the groove 2-7 being flattened so as to slide freely against the lower side of the flange 153. The inner die member 20 may be secured to-the hub 16 of the supporting n'iei'nbe'r by thescrews 31 or otherwise, as

desired. r

Having thus described our dev ce, what we claim as.our invention and desire Letters Patent for is:

1.. A double seaming die for capping cans and the like having a stationary inner memher, an outer member adapted tobe normally in concentric relation to and to intermittclitly' more around saidinner member a portion'of a revolution at each capping operation, and in such motion to be in eccentric'rclation to said inner membeigancl a self centering means mounted therein and adapted to engage said outer member for restoring said outer member to normal position.

,2. In a double seaming die for-capping cans and the like, the combination of a stationary'inner member, means for secur ring said inner member rigidly in positionin a machin an annular outer member normally concentric in its relation to said inner member and adapted to bemoved into and maintain an GCCClliZllC relation thereto during a seaming or capping process, and means on said inner member for engaging and restoring said outer member to normal position when an operation is' completed.

tion of the operation. as deso in a double seaming die for capping cans and the like, the combination of a stationary inner member, means for securing said inner member rigidly in position in a .iachine, an annular outer member adapted to be normally in concentric relation thereto and to be moved intermittently into and maintained in eccentric relation thereto during a capping or seaming process,

a resilient centering means; for restoring said outer member to norma'l'posit-ion -and of the failure ofsaid resilient means.

a positive auxiliary centering means forin- 4 surmg the restoration thereof in the event 4. In a double seaming die-foreapping cans andthe like, the combinatioi i ofa rigid .supporting member, an inner stationary member secured thereto; an annular outer member loosely positioned between said inner member and said supporting member normally stationary and concentric in itslrelat'ion to said inner member and adapted to be moved in termittently into and maintain" an eccentric relation thereto during a seaming or caW. ping process, and n eanson said inner memher for engaging and restoringsaid, outer hecomp'le.

member to normal position after-ft 1- In a double seaming th ir) capping flanged supporting iiieinber i71gid V secured 4 to the capping stem o'fg'aina'chi e; an nner 'cans and the like the combination of 'aortioii of mittently moved into counterpoint, thesur face thereof and rolled around'said upper portion with the revolution "of the capping head, a counter-bore in the Slop-er sideTof said outer member, and an annular recess tithe fi m. edge of the'flange of said 'inner-dieimembottom of said countcrbore and opposl' her, a V shaped groove in the-umger' side of said outer membeigand a plurality of cut plunger balls'adaptcd tof engage said groove and mounted in said suppo ting member flange for centering said outer memher. as described.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rcr'olublo capping head and a roller rerolubl mounted thereon, of a rigid supporting nien'iher centrally disposed with regard to said head: a stationary die member secured to said supporting member; an annular die member loosely mounted upon and adapted to more around said stationary member when ongaged by said roller; and means-for centering said outer member on said inner'incmher after a revolution thereof has been ac complished.

7. In a device oi the character described, the combination with a revoluble capping head and a roller revolubly mounted there-. on, of a rigid supporting member centrally disposed with regard to said head; a stationary die member secured to said supporting member having an annular flange on its lower end; an outer die member loosely mounted on said supporting member adapted to rest normally stationary and in concentric relation to said inner die member; said outer die member being adapted to move in an eccentric path around said inner die member when engaged by said roller. 4

8. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a revoluble capping head and a roller revolubly mounted thereon, of a stem extending above, below and through the center of said head; a stationary supporting member secured on said stem below said head; a die member secured to said supporting member having an annular fiange on its lower end; an outer die member mounted loosely on said supporting member and in'normally concentric relation thereto; and means on the upper end of said stem whereby said roller may be caused to engage and move said outer die member eccentrically around said inner die member.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a revoluble capping head, a cone revoluble therewith, an arm pivoted thereto, a roller revolubly mounted in the upper end of said arm and adapted to engage said cone, and) a roller revolubly mounted on the lower end of said arm; of a vertically disposed stationary stem in said head and cone; a flanged supporting memher on said stem below said head; a flanged I inner die member secured on said supporting member; and an outer die member loosely mounted on said supporting member and movable between the flange thereof and the flange on said inner die member; said outer die member being adapted to be engaged by said roller and caused to move eccentrically around said inner die member by a vertical movement of said cone on said stem.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stationary vertically disposed stem; a capping head slidable and revoluble thereon; a driven cone secured to the upper side of said head; an arm pivoted to the lower side of saidhead; a roller on the upper end of said arm adapted to engage said cone; a roller on the lower end of said arm adapted to horizontal rotation; at supporting member secured to said stem having an annular flange and a dmvnwardly extending neck; a die member secured to said supporting member having a flange on its lower end and a neck on its upper end;

and an annular outer die member loosely mounted on said supporting member and normally in concentric relation therewith; said roller being adapted to engage and cause said outer die member to move eccentrically around said inner die member when the upper end of said arm engages the. large diameter of said cone.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stationary vertically disposed stem; a capping head revoluble thereon; a driven cone secured to the upper side of said head; an armpivoted to the lower side of said head; a roller on the upper end of said arm adapted to engage said cone; a horizontally disposed roller on the, lower end of said arm; a flanged supporting member secured to said stem below said head; an inner flanged die mmber secured thereto; an outer annular die member loosely and concentrically positioned between said inner member and said su porting member having a central bore arger than the upper portion of said inner membe' and adapted to be moved into contact therewith and rolled therearound when the outer periphery of said outer member is engaged by said roller, a counterbore in the lower end, and an annular recess at the up per end of said counterbore in line with said flange on said inner member; and means for restoring said die members to their normally concentric position when said roller is disengaged from said outer member.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a stationary vertically disposed stem; a capping head slidable and revoluble thereon; a driven cone mounted upon said head; an arm pivoted to said head; a roller on the upper end thereof adapted to engage said cone; a horizontally disposed roller on the lower end'thereof an annular die member on the lower end of said stem; supporting means therefor; an annular outer die member movable on said supporting means and having a central bore in the upper portion and a counterbore in the lower portion thereof, there being an annular recess in the upper end of said counterbore; an annular flange on said inner die member opposite said recess; and means for maintaining a normal concentric relation between said inner and outer members, said outer member being adapted to move eccentrically around said inner member when said roller is caused to engage said outer die member by the action of said cone.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination with a revoluble capping head and a roller secured thereto; ot' a rigid supporting member centrally disposed with regard to said head, a stationary inner die member seen-red thereto, an annular outer die member normally concentric therewith and adapted to be engaged by said roller and caused to advance eccentrically around said inner member at each capping operation, and means for causing the restoration of said outer member to normal position at the completion of each operation, as

specified.

ARTHUR D. SUMNER. RAY 0. WILSON. Witnesses:

ALMA B. DESSAU, CHARLES G. Baooxs. 

